Underwood and investigator Luis Benavides are asking for the public’s help in tracking down the driver who fatally injured Barrios, 51, on Nov. 26.

Barrios, who lived in La Mesa, was out for his usual morning walk or run before setting off in his pickup for his landscaping job. Investigators figure he was walking north on Jackson Drive and crossing Blue Lake Road in San Carlos when he was hit by a vehicle that turned left onto Blue Lake from southbound Jackson.

The impact knocked him in the gutter along the curb. The exact time of the collision isn’t known — police found no surveillance video at any neighbors’ homes and no eyewitnesses.

At 5:45 a.m., another pedestrian noticed Barrios lying in the street, but thought he was sleeping and didn’t check further, Underwood said. Two other people driving by at 6:07 a.m. did stop, and called police.

Barrios was still alive, but suffered a grave head injury and was taken off life support a few days later. He is survived by two sons and two daughters, along with a brother and other family he was living with in La Mesa.

He was a single father, an immigrant years ago from Guatemala who raised his children on his own and was saving money to buy his own house, Benavides said.

“We have very few leads, unfortunately,” Benavides added. “No one’s come forward. I feel bad for the family — it’s a great family.”

Underwood said very little evidence was left behind, and investigators have gotten nowhere trying to figure out what kind of vehicle struck Barrios.

“Maybe someone out there has a conscience and will say something,” Underwood said.

Anyone with information on the identity or location of the driver or the vehicle can call the police traffic division at (858) 495-7808 or Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at (888) 580-8477 or at www.sdcrimestoppers.org. Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest in this case.